


At Last

by Lisafer



Category: Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: Afterglow, Canon Compliant, F/M, Forum: Goldenlake, canon week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2018-12-18
Packaged: 2019-09-22 07:30:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17055746
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lisafer/pseuds/Lisafer
Summary: When Raoul and Buri end up in bed together, they have to talk about where this whole thing is going.





	At Last

“Do you believe in happy endings?” I ask, yanking the blankets up to cover my chest. Enough time has passed that the cold air against my sweaty body is frigid instead of relieving. 

“I think that was a happy one,” Raoul says. I can hear the smirk in his voice, and he winds an arm around my waist to pull me closer. His chest is firm against my back, his other arm serving as a pillow for my head. 

“Seriously,” I say, frowning . “I need to know if this is real.”

“Of course it’s real,” he answers, his voice low and gruff. “This whole evening has been—”

“A pleasant surprise that was born out of almost nothing,” I finish. I can’t even remember how we fell into bed together – who kissed whom? Who said what to make it happen? 

“No,” he says firmly. He pulls away from me; I roll to my back, and he hovers over me gazing down at me with more fierceness than I’m used to. The flickering light from the lamp casts sinister shadows on his face. “This might’ve been a surprise for you, but it’s something I’ve wanted for….” His voice is thick, and he swallows before continuing. “I’ve been attracted to you for a long time, Buri.”

“I know.” And it’s true. Sometimes he’s easier to read than anyone I know. “But why haven’t you made a move in twenty years? Weighing the pros against the cons?” Maybe a touch of bitterness enters my voice; I don’t intend for it to be there, but I’ve failed enough to know that I’m not always good with romance. Maybe Raoul has watched me and wondered if I’m worth the trouble. 

“You know I’ve been dealing with my demons,” he says, his voice low. “I figured that if you were interested, you’d make a move.”

“Are you calling me fast?” I ask, raising my eyebrows. Granted, the question doesn’t mean much when I’m lying naked in his bed.

He smiles, but I can’t figure what it means. “I’m saying you’re worth ten of me, and if I were you, weighing the pros and cons of being with me, the cons would be a much longer list.”

I always forget how uneasy his is with women. He knows his value as a fighter, as a leader. All his confidence is placed in his physical strength or his ability to make someone laugh. “I don’t make it easy, do I?” I ask, sighing. I know I keep my feelings close – I always have – and can’t really expect a man like Raoul to understand me.

“No easier than I do.”

“Let me make it simple,” I say, wrapping my arms around his neck. “I’ve liked you for a while, but I didn’t realize just how much until recently.”

“Recently as in tonight?” He asks, eyebrows raised.

“As in the last couple of months,” I reply. “And I need to know – is this just for tonight, or will we try to make a genuine go of it?”

“I don’t believe in happy endings,” he says before giving me a deep, sultry kiss. When he breaks the kiss he gazes down at me, dark eyes shining. “I believe in happy beginnings.”


End file.
